Vegas Vacation

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Other titles by Clare Revell

Praise

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Thank you

Vegas Vacation

 

 

Clare Revell

 

 

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

 

Vegas Vacation

 

COPYRIGHT 2014 by Clare Revell

 

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or Pelican Ventures, LLC except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

 

eBook editions are licensed for your personal enjoyment only. eBooks may not be re-sold, copied or given to other people. If you would like to share an eBook edition, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with.

 

Contact Information: [email protected]

 

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version(R), NIV(R), Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Cover Art by Nicola Martinez

 

White Rose Publishing, a division of Pelican Ventures, LLC

www.pelicanbookgroup.com
PO Box 1738 *Aztec, NM * 87410

 

White Rose Publishing Circle and Rosebud logo is a trademark of Pelican Ventures, LLC

 

Publishing History

First White Rose Edition, 2014

Electronic Edition ISBN 978-1-61116-396-4

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

 

For Steph

 

In memory of Jill Bratcher, a friend, a sister in Christ. Much loved, will be much missed. We'll meet again one day.

 

Other titles by Clare Revell

 

Season for Miracles

Saving Christmas

Cassie's Wedding Dress

Time's Arrow

Kisses from Heaven

After The Fire

An Aussie Christmas Angel

Monday's Child

Tuesday's Child

Wednesday's Child

Thursday's Child

Friday's Child

Saturday's Child

Sunday's Child

Fairytale of Headley Cross

Shadows of the Past

Turned

 

Praise

 

Monday's Child

The blend of romance and suspense is superb, and the depth of emotion is so very touching. I am eagerly looking forward to the rest of the books in this series. Clare Revell is truly a master novelist. What a treat! I highly recommend Monday's Child to anyone looking for a GREAT story. Mary Manners

 

Tuesday's Child

Clare Revell...puts the EEP in creepy! TUESDAY'S CHILD has it all—deaf heroine, cop hero, orphaned child, and terrifying killer. This book kept me reading late into the night (with the doors locked and the brightest light on!). B. Norris (Amazon review)

 

Fairytale of Headley Cross

I love being swept away through Revell's writing. She expertly sucks you in and allows you to fall in love with each character as God's love and grace shine brightly. I really enjoyed this short read. It includes romance, excitement, humour, a slight thrill and most importantly, God's Word. Great Christmas read. TSuckoo (Amazon review)

 

 

No, we declare God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. ~ I Corinthians 2:7

1

 

Shoving her hands deep into her pockets, Tamlyn Bradshaw followed the uniformed police officer across a roomful of Las Vegas detectives, to a desk piled high with a mixture of papers, used coffee cups, and other assorted rubbish.

So far, since arriving in the US late the previous evening, she'd seen the airport, customs, immigration, a taxi, or cab as the Americans called them, and her hotel room. Not forgetting the hotel lobby, an ambulance, a very busy emergency department, and now a police station.

The officer indicated the fake leather chair to one side of the desk. “If you sit here and wait, Lady Bradshaw, Sgt. Ames won't be much longer.”

She raised an eyebrow.
Lady Bradshaw
was her grandmother, not her, but she probably shouldn't shoot the messenger as that wasn't particularly friendly. Instead, she shoved down her irritation and used the tone she kept for the servants at home. “Define
much longer
, please. I've already sat at the front desk for forty minutes.”

“Sgt. Ames is in a meeting, ma'am. If you could sit here and wait.”

Tamlyn sat down gingerly on the seat, her fingers automatically running over the gold cross hanging around her neck. She'd planned her holiday down to the last detail…only this wasn't in the design at all.

Raised voices came from the glass-fronted office at one end of the room, the words echoing across the squad room which rapidly fell silent. Two silhouettes were visible, one leaning on the desk, the other standing next to it.

“Martin, you're the only person in the department with the security clearances and the experience to do this.”

“I haven't worked protective services for over three years and for good reason. I'm five weeks from early retirement, and I don't want to spend them running around after a spoiled heiress.”

“Did I ask what you wanted? This woman's father is royalty and I just got off the phone with him—”

Tamlyn cringed in her seat, her cheeks burning. This was a bad idea. She'd go back to the hotel and trust God to protect her. No one knew who she was; she was just one more tourist in a city of thousands.

The angry voice continued its tirade in the office. “
Royalty?
In that case, I'm sure she can afford a replacement bodyguard. Even better…ask the British Embassy to provide one. My days of babysitting people are over.”

“Unless you want to be fired five weeks before your retirement date, your assignment for the next three weeks is to be Lady Bradshaw's bodyguard. There's the door. She's by your desk waiting for you.”

The door flung open, and Tamlyn glanced down. She focused her gaze on her fingernails. Maybe she could just pretend she hadn't heard.

Heavy steps crossed the room as muted conversations started up again. They stopped by the desk. “
Lady
Bradshaw, I presume?”

She looked up into the most intense, glittering pair of blue eyes she'd ever seen. His hair was pulled back in a long black ponytail, and he leaned on a cane.
They had to be kidding. A disabled cop?
His navy blue shirt and tie at least gave an appearance of professionalism. Although the gun holster on his shoulder made her shiver.

She stood, grateful he couldn't read her mind, because she was already regretting that first thought about his gorgeous eyes. She held out a hand. “I am. You must be Sgt. Ames.”

He nodded and shook her hand briefly before indicating the door. “Let's go. My car's around back.” He grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and shrugged into it.

She followed him to the door and out into the street. He had more than a slight limp.
What had happened to him?

Moving with him to the car, she automatically stood there, waiting for him to open the door, then glanced though the window. Did he live in it? Coffee cups and burger wrappers littered the passenger seat, which he swept to the floor.
Good grief, it's worse than that desk
. She shook her head as she lowered herself onto the seat and swung her legs inside. Her nose wrinkled at the smell as she slid her feet in between the rubbish on the floor. “When did you last clean in here?”

“I wasn't expecting company.” He closed the door and got in the other side. “So where to?”

“The Stratosphere to begin with. Apparently you can see miles from the top of it.”

Sgt. Ames raised an eyebrow as he started the car. “I meant your hotel. Where are you staying?”

Perhaps it was her accent. “I'm on holiday,” she said slowly. “I've no intentions of spending it in my hotel suite. Today I want to go up the Stratosphere. Tomorrow I have tickets to a floor show. I also want to start going around the Vegas Monopoly board.”

“Lady Bradshaw.” An air of grim resignation echoed in the cop's voice. “The captain assigned me to protect you. The best way to accomplish that is from the safety of your hotel room. Now, which hotel are you staying at?”

Tamlyn scowled. “And I thought Raleigh was boring.”

“Excuse me?”

“My bodyguard. The hospital thinks he has food poisoning. That's the reason I'm stuck with you.”

“It might be...but it might not. Which hotel are we going to?”

Tamlyn listened to the car engine turn over for several long seconds before taking a deep breath. He wasn't going to budge. She should at least give him half a chance. “The Bellagio.”

“Room number?”

“It's the Grand Lake suite, but I have plans.” She leaned back as the car finally began moving out of the car park.

“Your snooty attitude may work with the hired help, Lady Bradshaw, but not with me. Until I am told otherwise, you will stay in your hotel room.”

Tamlyn's jaw dropped. “I beg your pardon?”

“I said your snooty attitude—”

She cut him off. “I heard what you said. No one speaks to me like that.”

Sgt. Ames stared at her for a moment before maneuvering the car into the stream of traffic. “Lady Bradshaw, I'm sure you find your beauty, your position in society, and your money have gotten you most of what you wanted in life, right? Well, not on my shift. We'll swing past my apartment and pick up a few things. Then we'll go back to the hotel. There I'll call your father who has requested security for you and the hospital to check on your hired help. Once I touch base with both of them, then, and only then, will we leave the hotel.”

Tamlyn scowled. Her fingers went back to her necklace, playing with it. She hated being patronized. She got enough of that at home. “Fine.”

“Fine? You're going to give in that quickly?”

Angling herself so she couldn't see him at all, Tamlyn nodded. “Sure, I mean, what's the point in arguing? Your reasoning is sound...insults excluded. Besides, you seem to be the type who once you've made up your mind won't change it for toffee.”
So there's no point wasting my breath any longer.

 

****

 

Back at the hotel, Tamlyn headed toward the lifts. She glanced over her shoulder at him, and slowed a little. “Am I going too fast for you?”

“Not at all.” The lift came, and he allowed her to enter first, then followed.

She folded her arms across her stomach. “I don't need a babysitter, no matter what my father thinks. It's food poisoning. Besides, you're dis...”

“I'm what? Is it the cane, the limp, what?”

Tamlyn took a deep breath. Honesty was the best policy, wasn't it? “I thought they'd give me someone who's a little...” She waved her hands in the air as she struggled to find the right word.

“Fitter? Able-bodied? Or someone who isn't going to ruin your schedule because you don't think they can keep up with you?” Was that hurt or anger that tinged his voice?

A shaft of guilt hit her stomach. “Sorry.”

The lift doors opened, and she exited quickly, heading down the corridor to her suite. She knew what her father's reaction to this whole mess would be, and may as well start packing.

She opened the door to her suite and stood to one side to let Sgt. Ames in first. She looked at him, a slight smile on her face. “Do you want me to wait out here while you sweep the room for bugs, listening devices, and villains in ski masks?”

“Not this time, Lady Bradshaw. Inside, if you please.”

She rolled her eyes, the title still grating on her nerves, but she did as he asked. “The suite has two bedrooms, with their own bathrooms. Your room is the one on the left.”